You didn’t know you had another job, did you?

It might actually not be your second job, but your fifth or sixth, and while this writing gig may not generate direct income, it can help you bolster your marketing for your main career, and pay big dividends!

As website marketing specialists, we often suggest that our members get published on other websites to better raise awareness and bring attention to their businesses. As a result, we get asked about how to make that happen.  However, this is a topic we can really only discuss in a basic sense, since what you write, how you write it, and where you publish it depends on who you are, who you know, what you do, and how you do it.

1) Consider your audience:
While there’s a logic to writing for your peers and colleagues, remember that when you want to build clientele, it’s more helpful to be published in layperson-friendly media. For instance, I don’t write blogs for other website-marketing types to read, I write for people who aren’t website experts, to help them better use their website. If you are, say, a unicycle instructor, you could write for unicyclist.com, but you also could write for fitness journals about the health benefits of unicycling, or a cycling organization about why unicycles are a great alternative to bikes.

2) Write what you know.
In terms of both your peers and your clients, consider publishing what you tend to say anyway. For instance, most of the blogs I write are fine-tuned versions of things I tend to talk about the most when working with clients. There are several benefits in doing this:
It encourages you to think of the best way to say what you’re saying anyway, and document that phrasing. It gives you a fixed place to refer to, so instead of saying the same information again and again, you can link to the article. This saves time when speaking and space when emailing.In a subtle way, having it “in writing” makes your words seem more official, especially if your article is published by someone besides yourself.

3)  Network!
Forming long-term relationships with local media or other organizations can help establish you as an expert and credible source. This works best when you can create an organic dynamic with media sources, but don’t let that stop you from contacting people and organizations; if you don’t try, you won’t make the connection. Even a “no thank you” today might lead to “Hey, I remember you” next month. It’s tricky to plan, as it works best when such dynamics develop organically, but you only make the connections if you try. Focus on establishing a long-term presence instead of expecting a huge payoff for any given piece.

For instance, I did a stand-up comedy routine about marketing when I lived in Boston. I got some attention for it, and did a lot of free shows in cafes and local colleges. Eventually, local magazines and newspapers would call me up if they wanted a humorous yet informed comment about marketing or advertising, and I wound up getting a lot of well-paid writing gigs. These helped to put my name out there, and thus ended with me getting more and better comedy shows.

There’s a lot of ways to do this, none of them guaranteed, but hopefully this can give you some ideas, such as:

Writing letters to the editor. Remember that most people only do so when a complaint comes up, so consider how impressive a “Thanks for your accurate piece” letter may be. If you write to critique an article, consider offering yourself as a future reference.Think of what sort of activities are coming up in a few months: magazines, journals and websites usually start planning holiday-themed issues well in advance. Check your contact list. Who do you already know and get along with who can help you get a foot in the door. You might not know an editor in the New York Times, but you might have social connections to a staffperson at a local paper.

Remember, of course, that even if your first job is being a writer, a good writer has a good editor. Before you publish anything, make sure it’s reviewed, even if by a friend, colleague, or spouse. It’s counter-productive to publish articles filled with typos or factual errors, so take the time to get your best work out there.

Think of all you have to share. Who can you share it with? How could that sharing help your business grow and prosper?

Rich M – CoachingWebsites Listings and Support
Email any questions to [email protected]